When the Snow Falls
by beatlechicksteph
Summary: Every year at Christmas Bucky goes to visit the woman who could have been the great love of his life, if only things had gone differently.


**Written for Marvelously Magical's Enchanted Wonders 2019. I was given the enchanted item of Mjolnir and the word prompt "Night time Snow."**

Bucky Barnes trudged through the snow as he walked up the path toward Hogwarts. Ever since he had broken free of being the Winter Soldier and became just Bucky again, he made this pilgrimage every year around Christmas time.

After making sure his triggers were gone and he was safe to be around other people, Bucky looked up someone from his past. Someone who had meant a lot to him for a season way back when he was fully human, before he had shipped off to war. Someone who had loved and felt like he could spend his life with. And then he had disappeared and he had his years frozen. When he returned, time had not stood still for her as it had for him. She had been hard to track down, but he had found her. And learned of her secret, the one she had been so hesitant to tell him when they were both young together.

_**Seventy Years Ago**_

Bucky ran through the streets of London. After he left New York, he had been sent to London. The war was in full swing, and he was stopping off here before continuing on into France and Germany. It was strange that London could feel so normal, but also like a war zone at the same time. It was December, and the weather had turned on him as he had left to grab a pint. He wasn't quite sure if this was rain or sleet, or a little of both. Either way it was cold and he was wet. And it was unpleasant. He just round a corner when he saw the entrance to a tavern lit up. He made a beeline for the door, and entered it just as the precipitation began to grow heavier.

Just as he entered the tavern, he was taking off his hat when he saw her. Sitting by herself at a table with a pint in front of her, reading a paper. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He smiled to himself as he made his way over to her.

"Is this seat taken?"

The woman looked up from her paper and eyed him wearily. He must have looked a sight, soaked through. But he was in his uniform, which was always a positive for the ladies. He hadn't gotten laid since he left New York, and a one off with a beautiful Brit didn't sound too bad right about now.

"Yes, it is," the woman said before looking back at her paper.

Bucky frowned. "Oh?" he looked around the nearly empty tavern. "By who?"

The woman shrugged, not looking up from her paper. "Anyone but you," she said, her Scottish brogue coming out strong.

Bucky smirked. "Well, that's a bit harsh. You don't even know me."

This time the woman looked up from her paper. "I know enough. You're an American soldier here to help out the war effort. And you think just because you're in a uniform you can come up to random women in a tavern and they will fall at your feet and into your bed. Now, if you will excuse me, this woman would like to be left alone."

Bucky shook his head. "Just so you know, I have been here for a week, and you're the first woman I've tried to pick up in a tavern."

"Lucky me," the woman said, sarcasm absolutely dripping from her voice.

Bucky sighed, "Fine, I'll leave you alone. But I'll just say, that you're very beautiful, and I hope that you stay warm and dry, the weather is terrible tonight."

He didn't wait for the woman to respond before he turned away and began to head toward the bar to get a drink.

"Wait," the woman said, from the table.

He turned back around and noticed that she was sitting there with a conflicted look on her face, before she sighed.

"You may join me, but I'm not going home with you tonight."

Bucky grinned. "The names Bucky."

The woman returned his smile. "Minerva."

_**Present Day**_

Bucky completed his trek to the castle, and grinned as the doors opened for him. He wound his way through the labyrinth and smiled as it seemed all the stairs were behaving for him this time. It was a Christmas miracle.

He finally reached the gargoyles and gave the password she had given him in her letter. The door slid open and he walked up the spiral staircase. When he reached the top, he saw her sitting behind her desk and smiled. It didn't take her long to feel his presence and she looked up from the letter she was writing.

"Bucky," she said, smiling broadly, tears beginning to fill her eyes. "I wrote to you, just like I have every year, but I couldn't hope that you would show up. It's been a long time."

"Five years, I'm told," Bucky replied.

Minerva nodded. "You were one of the unlucky ones."

He nodded. "Did the snap take anyone from your world, or did the magic make you immune?"

She shook her head sadly. "Unfortunately we were not spared. We lost half of our population as well. It was devastating. But everyone is back, which means that someone must've done something to fix this."

Bucky smiled. "Well, where do you want me to start?"

"The beginning, as always," Minerva answered.

Bucky sat down in the chair across from her and began telling her the story of Thanos.

_**Seventy Years Ago**_

Bucky reluctantly pulled away from the embrace Minerva had him in. They were at the train station saying their last good byes. He had stayed in London longer than anticipated, but now it was time for him to ship off to France and then Germany to complete the secret missions he had before him.

He and Minerva had spent the two weeks together. He was starting to think maybe he was falling in love with her.

"I'll be back when the war is over, and until then, I'll write," Bucky said, looking down at her tear stained face.

"I'll write to you as well. Please be safe, and return to me. There's so much I want to tell you, and share with you."

Bucky smiled. "Well, I look forward to returning."

"I'm going to miss you, so much."

"I'll miss you, too. Look at the bright side, you return to school soon, and you'll be able to distract yourself with teaching. And I'm sure the war will be over before we know it."

He bent down and gave her another kiss as the train whistle blew once more, signaling it was time for him to board.

"I'll see you soon, Minnie."

"See you soon, James."

James boarded the train and made sure to grab a seat by the window that overlooked the platform. As the train pulled out of the station, he kept his eyes on Minerva, committing her to his memory. He didn't know that would be the last time he would see her for sixty years.

_**Present Day**_

Minerva smiled as Bucky pulled out a wrapped present from his pocket. He had told her all about the first fight with Thanos, and how he didn't really know what was going on before he was turned to dust, but he just felt like something was very wrong.

"You didn't need to get me a present, James," Minerva said.

"Of course I did," he said. "It's Christmas."

Minerva took the small package from his hands and opened it. Inside was a bracelet with a small little hammer charm on it.

"What's this?" she asked.

"That's a replica of Mjolnir, Thor's hammer," he said.

"Why Thor's hammer?"

"Because my best friend, right before he left me to relive his life in the correct time line, was determined worthy to wield the hammer. And I wanted something that would tie my best gal and my best friend together. And because I'm sure if you came across Mjolnir, it would decide that you're worthy, too."

Minerva blushed and looked down at the bracelet. "You flatter an old woman."

Bucky smiled. "You're old? I didn't notice. I still see the girl I left behind on the train platform that day."

Minerva let out a barking laugh. "Tell me the story of Steve and Mjolnir," she said as she fastened the bracelet to her wrist.

_**Ten Years ago**_

Bucky walked through the streets of London, in a scene that was very reminiscent of when he had first arrived. It was December and it was snowing. Definitely snowing this time. He found the bar he had met Minerva in that first night. He wasn't sure he would find her there, but he had to try.

He opened the door, and it was like stepping back in time. The tavern looked almost exactly as it had that night sixty years ago.

He looked around. He knew Minerva was still alive. He had done some research before coming all the way to London. He was technically still on the lamb, but Steve was working hard to clear his name. And T'challa was working hard to make him whole again. He just needed to see if she was still around.

As his eyes scanned the nearly empty tavern, they paused on the table. The table. It was occupied. This time the woman was older, much older, and she was still reading a paper. And even though she was much older, Bucky would recognize her anywhere.

He smiled to himself, and walked over to the table, stopping in front of it. He cleared his throat. "Is this seat taken?" he said, struggling to keep his voice from cracking.

The woman looked up, and he watched as the paper fluttered to the ground as it slipped from her grip.

"James? But, how is this possible? You haven't aged a day," she breathed out.

Bucky gave her a crooked smile. "Hello, Minnie. Boy do I have a story for you. Can I sit down?"

Minerva nodded, and Bucky sat before her, and began telling her about the war, Hydra and The Winter Soldier.

_**Present Day**_

Bucky watched as Minerva stared out the window. The snow was falling and it looked beautiful against the night sky. It seemed to be a theme for them.

After finding her that night in the tavern, Minerva explained magic and Hogwarts to him. She told him about how she was the headmistress of the magical school Hogwarts, and she had taken him there, charmed him a piece of jewelry to wear so that he could see the castle.

He came to see her every year for Christmas. The same night they had met all those years ago. Trudging up the grounds to the castle. And every year it snowed.

"It's going to be a long year until I see you again," she said, not taking her eyes off the window and the snow.

"We'll write."

"We always say that, and we always don't. One year you're not going to want to come and see me, because you'll be with someone your own age."

"You're my own age, Minnie," Bucky said, smiling.

"Yes," she said, finally turning to look at him. "But you don't look it. We're even farther from the same age now that you've been frozen in time another five years. One year you'll come and I won't be here, because I'll have finally died, and you'll still be thirty."

Bucky shook his head. "Let's not talk of mortality, Minnie. It's Christmas. Tell me, what is the craziest thing your students have gotten up to this year?"

And just like that, the tone of the night shifted as Minerva regaled him with tales of the pranks that had been pulled up until that point in the year.

Then, as the sun began to rise over the horizon, Bucky took his leave, trudging down the path back to the gates. He took one last look at the castle as the snow stopped, and the skies cleared.

"Until next year, Minnie," he whispered before turning to head back to the small town and it's train station, where he would leave and go back to his normal life, only to count down the days until he could return.


End file.
